Summer Season Launches

Our gardens are almost entirely seeded, the bedding plants are (for the most part) strong and vigorous in the greenhouse, and we have finally had some rain. Things are looking good for the summer season. At least some of nearly every vegetable has sprouted in the garden, and we expect to see many more friends peeking up in a few days’ time. They will no doubt be accompanied by a great many “uninvited guests,” but that’s ok. We’re ready to move on to the next stage of spring gardening, which features weeding and putting out bedding plants.

The first of the summer 2018 vegetable orders went out to Saskatoon today, featuring asparagus, rhubarb, and sorrel (all perennials), along with our reliable spring favourite: orach. Orach (pictured above) is not a perennial, but it self seeds abundantly and comes up early enough to be a mainstay of our spring garden. We also have volunteer lettuce, spinach, and coriander up, but not enough yet to send out to our members. You can look forward to them in the coming weeks.

For those of you not familiar with orach, it is a large-leaved cousin of lamb’s quarters. We use it as we would spinach, with the early leaves (which you will be receiving this week) featured in salads or stir fries. When the leaves get a bit larger and tougher, they are tastier cooked (either steamed, stir fried, or included in a casserole).

The long narrow leaves in with the orach are the sorrel, which is a sour, bitter green. We have been enjoying them (in small quantities) mixed in with salads or stir fries. If you’re looking to try something different with them, here is a tasty recipe from Simply in Season:

Rhubarb Sorrel Crisp

Combine in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently:

4 cups rhubarb (finely chopped)

2 cups sorrel (finely chopped, or strawberries)

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla.

Dissolve 3 Tbsp cornstarch in 1/4 cup water. Add to rhubarb misture and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Set aside.

Mix together until crumbly:

1 1/2 cups flour (can substitute part oat bran)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts or other nuts, chopped

Place about 3 1/2 cups of crumb mixture in a greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan and press to make an even layer. Pour in rhubarb/sorrel misture and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 30-40 minutes. Cut into squares.

 

The First Spring Greens

The last of the root vegetables went out last week and the cellar is looking decidedly empty. Our stores were so depleted that we were only able to send out half the usual amount of potatoes. Fortunately, we still had a decent number of carrots, which we sent. Other stored foods that went into the final winter order included a handful of garlic heads and some dried beans to help tide you over till the new crops come in.

We were also delighted to send the first greens of the season: sorrel, chives, and asparagus. Sorrel is a relatively new crop for us. We experimented with two plants a couple years back and they self-seeded prolifically. Wanting to encourage this earliest spring green, last year we dug up many of the new seedlings and started a dedicated row. As you can see in the photo above, the original patch was not the least bit diminished by our efforts! Sorrel has a sour flavour and is high in oxalic acid, so it is best eaten in moderation. We have been enjoying adding a few leaves to salads or to dandelion green stir-frys. Once the leaves get a bit bigger, their flavour is stronger and they are best used in soups and stews. It is supposed to go well with fish and eggs. As we continue with our own experimentation, we would be keen to hear your favourite ways to enjoy sorrel.

As usual, we will send a couple more installments of asparagus until the end of the May, when the winter season ends and we move on to weekly (in the Battlefords) and bi-weekly (in Saskatoon) vegetable orders (which will also include asparagus for the first few weeks). The crop is coming on strong this year: I harvested over nine pounds on Wednesday! Expanding an asparagus patch takes far more patience than seeding extra carrots, and our efforts of the past years are now bearing fruit (or vegetables, rather). We have a whole extra row that we can pick this year, and next year another should come into production as well. So, with thanks for your patience over the past couple years, we are pleased to share the new abundance.

Last week, we took a picnic supper with us as we “beat the bounds” of our farm. (See Shawn’s blog post at http://www.ecosophian.wordpress.com for more about this event.) It featured asparagus oven pancake, a spring favourite in our household:

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a 9″ pie plate. Meanwhile, slightly steam 2/3 cup asparagus, cut in 1″ pieces. Place in bottom of pie pan.

Whisk together 3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup flour

2 eggs

1/4 tsp salt.

Pour over asparagus and bake at 400 until puffed and golden brown (20-25 minutes). Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheese on top, cut into wedges, and serve immediately.